Spies seals maiden pole
Date published : 28 Aug 2010 - 23:00:36
Reigning Superbike World Champion Ben Spies described the "great feeling" of recording his first MotoGP World Championship pole position after setting the fastest time in qualifying for the race at Indianapolis.
The Texan, who this week was promoted from the Tech 3 satellite team to the full factory Yamaha team in place of Valentino Rossi next season, was quickest ahead of Sunday's race for his first pole position in the series.
Spies was quickest on the Monster Tech 3 Yamaha from the Fiat Yamaha of championship leader Jorge Lorenzo and the Marlboro Ducati of Nicky Hayden.
Repsol Honda team-mates Andrea Dovizioso and Dani Pedrosa were fourth and fifth from Hayden's team-mate Casey Stoner and Rossi.
Spies admitted: "This is a great feeling for me to get my first MotoGP pole position and for it to come in front of the American crowd and here at Indianapolis with all the history makes it even more special.
"And I'm glad for the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team too. This team helped catapult me into this position and I've been trying to give as much for them as I can, even though I'll be moving to Yamaha's factory team next year."
Spies admitted he threw caution to the wind to set a quicker time that Lorenzo who will be his team-mate next season.
"I've got to say I really put it on the line this afternoon," he said. "I'd come so close at Brno a couple of weeks ago to getting my first pole position and I really wanted to finish the job on home soil.
"And being on the front row with Nicky too is pretty incredible for MotoGP racing in America.
"There was no way coming into this weekend that I thought this result was possible. But I've been able to do it and now I'm going to concentrate on getting a good start and giving it everything in the race. I'd love a podium and my best result at home but I'm not going to get ahead of myself. But right now I'll certainly enjoy it."
